PRAYER GUIDE FOR THE WEEK COMMENCING 26TH JULY
“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.’
This is an extraordinary psalm. At first it seems somewhat mysterious and irrelevant to our lives and yet that cannot be. It is the most Messianic psalm – and the one quoted most often in the New Testament. Hebrews 6:20-7:28 presents Melchizedek as a king/priest before Aaron and as Christ in the order of Melchizedek. Like Aaron, like Moses and David, like the OT prophets, like John the Baptist, like the Apostles – Melchizedek points to Christ. The ultimate prophet, priest and king. We need a priest. We need a king. We need a prophet. And we have all of that in Christ. Let us never forget whose we are, and who we pray to!
“O how unlike Christ we are! His prayers were pleading prayers full of mighty arguments and fervent affections. O that his people were more like him” (John Favel)
Petition: Please join with us in praying for:
1.The World – There have been 194,087,699 cases (up 3,736,194 – similar to last week) and 4,158,226 deaths. France, Russia and the UK are countries which have seen an increase in cases but less deaths. Indonesia, Mexico, Iran and South Africa are seeing substantial increases with more deaths (because they have less vaccines). It is interesting that Sweden now has very few cases and zero daily deaths. Throughout the world there have been increasing protests against lockdowns.
2. Australia – There have been 31,103 cases in total (up 1,814 compared with 654 the week before).
| State | Total Cases | Weekly Change TW/LW | Total Deaths | Change in Deaths TW/LW |
| ACT | 124 | 0 (+0) | 3 | 0 |
| NSW | 7,792 | +1,549(+301) | 62 | +7 |
| NT | 192 | +4 (+3) | 0 | 0 |
| QLD | 1,770 | +87 (+55) | 7 | 0 |
| SA | 855 | +36 (+7) | 4 | 0 |
| TAS | 234 | + 0 (0) | 13 | 0 |
| VIC | 20,722 | +180 (+12) | 820 | 0 |
| WA | 1,048 | +13 (+5) | 9 | 0 |
NSW, Victoria and South Australia are in lockdown with NSW forecast to be so until at least the beginning of September. The key question is whether Australia will continue to pursue a zero covid policy. There have been 1,180,708 tests in the past seven days with 0.1% being positive. There are 180 people in hospital (+64) with 46 in ICU (+26). There are 2117 active cases (+840). Almost 100,000 people took part in anti-lockdown protests throughout Australia over the weekend. There is a great deal of frustration. Pray for peace, unity and healing.
3. Vaccine and Cures – There have been 3.83 vaccines administered (+220 million)- 50 doses every 100 people. Australia now has 11 million (43 per 100 people). Only 5 per 100 doses have been given in Vietnam. Nepal is 16 per 100.
4. Church – The shutting down of NSW has impact upon churches throughout Australia – especially for those who are planning conferences. It’s not just that the immediate in July and August are being cancelled – but also people are fearful of booking up in further months. This has an impact upon ministries and also upon livelihoods. Pray for the Lord’s provision.
5. Personal and Family – Remember the children in lockdown, who are unable to go to school and Sunday school, or to meet with their friends. Pray especially for those in poorer households with more limited facilities.
A Prayer of Repentance: Lord God, you are the God who judges nations. We know that we deserve that judgement. Lord deliver us from pride, hubris and hypocrisy. We need a priest and king who will deliver us. We bless you that you sent us Jesus. In His Name we pray…Amen.
Song: In the UK churches have been banned from singing together for over 16 months. Last week the Keswick convention was able to have public singing – enjoy this moving and beautiful worship
A Prayer of Thanksgiving: Lord Jesus, we thank you that you have put your song in our hearts. We have so much to praise you for. You are the prophet whose words are eternal. You are the priest whose sacrifice atones for all our sins. You are the king who rules over all. Nothing, no one can keep us from your love. Not life, not death, not angels nor demons, not sin nor covid. We bless your holy name…Amen
Covid Prayer Guide – July 19th – Ps 109, Flavel, Prayers, Facts, and ‘His Mercy is More’
Quantum 156 – Time to Sing – including the BBC, Canada, Israel, Samoa, India, Darfur and Woke Coke
Cockatoos are beautiful but they have an ugly voice!
In the UK following Boris Johnson’s “freedom day on the 19th last week there has been an over 40% drop in infection levels. This is despite the usual doom mongers predicting escalating rates of infections, hospital admissions and deaths.
OK it is perhaps too early to be too triumphal: we will need to see what happens over the next week or so. But some experts are predicting that the virus is running out of steam, and that further restrictions will have little or no effect, if indeed they had any in the first place.
Despite this there has been little or no change in behaviour, other than those crowding into night clubs. Mask wearing is still widespread, even outside in God’s sunlight and fresh air, and despite there being no good evidence that masks make any difference to the spread of Covid19. The UK population has been terrified into submission by relentless negative media projections and government pronouncements. And the damage done to our children is horrendous.
I am sure that Covid 19 has not finished with the UK yet: there will almost certainly be a winter resurgence and the NHS will be in crisis again (as it is every winter – just google “NHS winter crisis”) and there will be more demands to lockdown again. But the Australian and NZ zero Covid policies are completely daft!
“In the UK churches have been banned from singing together for over 16 months.”
Not quite true. In Scotland, churches on the islands resumed congregational singing from 31st May, and the rest of Scotland from 7th June.